Method and device for controlling the transmission and playback of digital signals

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling streaming audio signals and voice signals, for example compressed sound signals, music signals, image signals, and/or voice signals which are held in readiness in one or more data files (servers for recall by one or more control commands through one or more playback devices (users). Initially a patterned information profile is sent to configure a user interface and then, based upon triggering by the user the corresponding digital signals are sent from the data source to the user and are reproduced by a decoder.  
     The invention has as its object to control on line the transmission and reproduction of digital signals, especially sound signals, music signals and voice signals directly by the user in the source in which the data is held in readiness without expensive installation processes.  
     This object is achieved in that the signals corresponding toe the user interface are mixed by the user in the source or sources and these mixed signals are transmitted as a new data stream with new content to the playback device in real time whereby the mixing process in the source is naturally controlled by the user through the user interface. The object is also achieved in that the data source (server) is expanded by at least one mixer ( 17 ) for mixing a plurality of digital signals and has a stream server ( 19 ) for sending the coded digital mixed signals to the user.

[0001] The invention relates to a method of controlling the transmission and reproduction of coded digital signals, especially compressed sound signals, music signals and/or voice signals, which are held in readiness in one or more data servers for recall by one or more control commands through one or more playback devices (users).

[0002] The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method of controlling the transmission and reproduction of coded digital signals between at least two electric devices (receiving device and server) through a data transmission connection and its reproduction.

[0003] The typical use of the invention is the completion of internet pages with interactive audio content. Internet pages, as is known, are comprised of HTML files which determine the layout and, optionally, of image files. These files are primarily prepared by http servers which are connected with the internet. The files are compiled and displayed with html browsers, especially “Netscape Navigator” from the firm Netscape or “Internet Explorer” from the firm Microsoft. The browser downloads all files from the internet and displays them subsequently on the monitor of the user.

[0004] This known state of the art is only limitedly suitable for the transmission of the audio signals or video signals since the quantity of data to be transmitted is too great and must be integrated in the internet pages to be displayed. The loading time for a background sound or a radio transmission with a play time of an unending duration without repetition, leads to a loading time which is of limitless duration before a reproduction can commence.

[0005] This state of the art is integrated in present day web browsers by small programs, so-called plug-ins, like for example, the “Shockwave/Flash-Plug-In”. These enable expensive 3D animation and vector graphics to be displayed in addition to sound and music reproduction. For that purpose, however, the entire contents which are to be displayed in conjunction with an internet page for the user, must be integrated in this internet page, including for example eighty different sound data when the user is to be presented with eighty different surfaces of the display pages with different sounds, for example, button sounds. All of this data must be previously loaded independently of whether the user will actually select them.

[0006] Another method (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,734,199, 6,009,410) seeks to avoid such long loading times through the use of so-called “streaming,” in which the already received audio data and video data are continuously reproduced while the next data are received. The display of the internet page and the playback of the audio stream and video stream are effected completely independently from one another. This quasi parallel reproduction of image and sound is however associated with the drawback that for the playback of the stream, an external player is required in addition to the browser. Furthermore, the audio stream and/or the video stream can either be uncontrollable in an interactive manner through the internet page or can only be controlled to a limited degree in an interactive way over the internet page. As a consequence, the player provides an additional user interface. With the latter however, only the reproduction in the receiving device is controlled. The control possibilities for previously obtained data in the source is limited to a starting and stopping of the data stream.

[0007] Furthermore, such plug-ins and players can only function once a downloading and installation by the user has been achieved and that can be a difficulty. The downloading and installation process is often very complicated and may exceed the capacity of the user. Should the downloading of a plug-in or a player by the user be defective, there is the drawback that part of the internet page may not function and the user may not be able to use the internet to a significant extent. Many internet providers thus supply two versions of their internet page, one with and one without use of the Flash. For the web designer the handling of the plug-in and player is also expensive and complicated. The Flash can only be used with a special tool which must be incorporated in the internet page. In the case of internet pages embodying author systems, whose content may be varied, the Flash must be matched with the aid of the tools.

[0008] This work is very time consuming and generally gives rise to an avoidance of such plug-ins. In this state of the art, the invention has as its object to provide control of the transmission and reproduction of digital signals, especially sound signals, music signals and voice signals directly by the user in the source maintaining the data in readiness while avoiding expensive installation processes. This object is achieved by the method for the purposes described at the outset with the characterizing features of claim 1 and by the device with the characterizing features of claim 13.

[0009] Advantageous refinements of the method and the device are ascertainable from the dependent claims. The method of the invention is characterized above all that it makes possible for the first time the reproduction of audio files and video files through the internet with active control.

[0010] The requisite data for the real time reproduction of, for example, sound, music and voice are not components of the internet page and thus they need not be previously transmitted in a time consuming manner. Instead they are communicated from the server only when reproduction is desired. All of the expansions required for the playback of the audio data are in readiness at the server from the internet when the user calls up the internet page. The user is no longer required to install corresponding expansions on his computer. The audio stream is interactively set up for the user in that all commands generated by the user, for example, the clicking of a mouse button or the movement of the mouse cursor over a button or link results in the playback of certain music, a tone or voice.

[0011] The provider of an internet page must make available the possibility of communicating actively completable information, for example, the fading in of an advertising spot.

[0012] Through the method of the invention it is possible for the web designer to provide the possibility of equipping an internet page with musical tones, music and voice at different locations on the page without detriment to the transmission speed and the display speed. The device of the invention for carrying out the method is of simple construction and does not require any separate installation process by the user. Further advantages and details are given in the following description with reference to the appended drawing.

[0013] The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to two embodiments.

[0014] The drawing shows:

[0015]FIG. 1 the integration of sound and video in an internet page according to the state of the art by means of a plug-in;

[0016]FIG. 2 the streaming of audio and video in accordance with the state of the art; and

[0017]FIG. 3 a block diagram of the configuration of the device according to the invention for carrying out the method of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 1 shows the integration of sound signals and video signals in accordance with the state of the art in commercial web browsers using small programs, the so-called plug-ins 2 like, for example, the “Shockwave/Flash-Plug-In”. These enable 3D animation and display of vector graphics as well as the reproduction of sound and music through interfaces, for example, a sound card in the personal computer 3. The illustration in FIG. 1 is limited for the sake of simplicity to the reproduction of music. For that purpose however the entire commitment which is to be displayed for the user in an internet page 11 must be integrated in this internet page. All of these data are previously loaded, independently of whether or not the user has selected them. If the user, who has installed a corresponding plug-in, selects an internet page through his internet browser 1, this internet page is selected by the http server 4 from the internet pages 11 of the server and transmitted to the browser 1. The browser 1 transmits the data which is required for processing by the plug-in to the plug-in 2. Audio signals are then played through the sound card. For graphics animation, the corresponding animation images are calculated by the plug-in and at uniform time steps are transmitted to the browser 1 for display. This has not been illustrated in FIG. 1. Since an internet page which is supported by a flash/plug-in contains significantly more data than a comparable purely HTML file and thus requires undesirable high loading times, many website providers supply alternative websites without Flash. This gives rise to a significantly higher administration cost.

[0019] In FIG. 2 the streaming method in accordance with the state of the art has been illustrated in greater detail. The display of an internet page supplied by an http server 4 is effected here as well through an internet browser 1. The audio stream and video stream are, independently of browser 1, played back through a previously installed player 2 (FIG. 2 shows video reproduction via a sound card 3). The selection of an audio stream and/or video stream of the server 4 via nonremovable memory [hard disk] 5 is effected through the internet browser from corresponding internet pages 11. A stream server 10 which contains a corresponding instruction from the http server 4 transmits the selected file stored in the nonremovable memory [hard disk] 5 in a fixed time grid in the player 2. The control possibilities of the data readied in the source via the browser 1 are limited to a starting and stopping of the data stream since the stream server 10 operates substantially as a data pump. The interactive control of the data is effected through an additional use interface 13 of the player 2. With this, however, only the reproduction in the receiving device is controlled.

EXAMPLE 1

[0020] In the currently existing internet infrastructure the device according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 3 will be integrated. The control interface 9 is realized in the server by an http server. This http server is accompanied by a file selection system (file server 15) for packed musical tones, sound, music and voice files (audio files), a mass storage [memory] 14 (for example a nonremovable memory [hard disk] managed by the data selection system 15, a decoder 16 for depacking the stored audio files to a compressed packet, a decoder 18 for data compression and a stream server 19 for transmitting the packet to the user. The configurable user interface 6 in the receiving unit is realized by a conventional internet browser 1. This contains an information profile 20 defined by the server and in the form of an internet page in the HTML format communicated from the control interface 9 and thus builds the desired interface 6 for the user. With the transmission of the internet page, the control interface 9 transmits, as required also a transmittable decoder 21 which differs from the decoder 16 installed in the server and utilizes the widely accepted MP3 standard to the receiving unit in which it is automatically installed. For this purpose into the internet page a Java Script function is built in and is supported by the browser of the user. The user utilizes only the browser and the displayed internet page. The user can then, for example by movement of the mouse, give instructions which are transmitted as corresponding control commands to the control interface in the server. In the server, by means of the file selection system 15, the decoder 16, the mixer 17, the encoder 18 and the stream server 20, as components, a data stream is generated to correspond to the instructions of the user and is transmitted to the receiving device. The encoder 18 thus generates a data format which is decodable by the decoder 21 in the receiver unit, for example, MP3.

[0021] The received data is transformed by the decoder 2 in the receiving device into a format which can be presented by the receiver and delivered to a corresponding output interface 8, for example, a sound card. The transmission of sound, music or a voice is effected by a coding of the audio data in a transfer format, for example MP3. Since the encoder 18 and the transmittable decoder 21 are integrated as self-standing modules in the expansion of the server, all suitable formats can be used so that with a change in the format, no change is required in the software installation in the receiving device.

EXAMPLE 2

[0022] The solution to the invention is realized with a mobile receiving unit, for example a Handy. The patterned information profiles 11 stored in the server of the user interface are, in this example, the structure descriptions of a selection menu which is transmitted from the control interface, for example, a WAP server, to the receiving device. In the receiving device, the configurable user interface 6, here a WAP browser, produces the menu which is described by the patterned information profile 20. The subsequent portions of the method of the invention and the other components of the device of the invention are identical to those in Example 1. The output interface 8, for audio reproduction, is realized in the present example by the sound chip installed in the Handy. Precisely in the case of mobile applications it can be expected that intermediate devices will appear on the market which can have a decoder 7, for example, for the MP3 standard, which can then be used.

Statement of the Reference Characters

[0023] Internet Browser 1

[0024] Player 2

[0025] Sound card 3

[0026] HTTP Server 4

[0027] Mass Storage 5

[0028] Configurable User Interface 6

[0029] Decoder 7

[0030] Output Interface 8

[0031] Control Interface 9

[0032] Stream Server 10

[0033] Internet Pages 11

[0034] User Interface for Player 12

[0035] Control Interface 13

[0036] Mass Storage 14

[0037] File Selection System 15

[0038] Decoder 16

[0039] Mixer 17

[0040] Encoder 18

[0041] Stream Server 19

[0042] Patterned Information Profile 20

[0043] Transmittable Decoder 21

[0044] For This: 3 Sheets Drawing 

1. A method of controlling the transmission and playback of coded digital signals, especially compressed sound signals, music signals and/or voice signals, which are held in readiness in ore more data sources (servers) to be called up by one or more control commands through one or more playback devices (users), characterized in that initially a patterned information profile is sent to a user interface and then the corresponding digital signals are sent from the data source to the user as triggered by a control command from the user, these digital signals are reproduced using a decoder and the preparation of the digital signals in the server is simultaneously controlled by the user through a user interface in an interactive manner.
 2. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the patterned information profile is processed and transmitted to the user interface from a third source which is independent from the source containing the coded digital signals.
 3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that the decoder is transmitted by the source containing the coded digital signals whereby initially the decoder and then the coded digital signals are transmitted.
 4. The method according to one or more of claims 1 through 3 characterized in that the decoder is processed and transmitted from a source which is independent of the source containing the coded digital signals.
 5. The method according to one or more of claims 1 through 4 characterized in that different coded digital signals based upon requests form the user are mixed in the source and transmitted as a data stream to the user.
 6. The method according to one or more of claims 1 through 5 characterized in that the reproduction of the data stream from one data source is replaced by switching over to a data stream of a third source.
 7. The method according to one or more of claims 1 through 6 characterized in that the data coding in the source is set in correspondence with the available transmission band width and optionally readjusted afterward.
 8. The method according to one or more of claims 1 through 7 characterized by the following steps in the data source and by the user/receiver: a) requesting the patterned information profile for the user interface through the receiver; b) transmitting the patterned information profile to the user interface at the receiver and configuring the user interface; c) triggering a control command and transmitting it for calling up the stored digital signal in the data source through the receiver; d) optionally transmitting the decoder software to the receiving device of the user; e) selecting the requested file containing the digital signals in the source; f) decomposing the file containing the requested digital signals into individual packets and optionally decoding them; g) coding each data packet in a fixed time grid and transmitting it to the receiver in the read time; h) receiving the data packets with optional intervening buffering; i) decoding the received coded digital signals j) reproducing the digital signals in a corresponding presentation format for the user.
 9. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the selection of the digital signals in accordance with step e) is not effected by a control command of the user but through another selection mechanism in the data source.
 10. The method according to clam 8 or 9 characterized in that the transmission of at least a digital signal in the data source and at the user/receiver, the following subsequent steps occur: aa) transmitting a control command for calling up a further digital signal stored in the data source by the receiver; bb) selecting the file containing the requested digital signals; cc) decomposing the file containing the requested digital signals into the individual packets an optionally decoding; dd) digitally mixing all data packets simultaneously received at the receiver to one or more new data packets; ee) carrying out steps g) through j) according to claim
 8. 11. The method according to claim 10 characterized in that the selection according to step bb) is not effected by control command of the user but rather by another selection mechanism in the data source.
 12. The method according to claims 1 through 11 characterized in that through a control command of the user or another selection mechanism the mixed or transmitted digital signals are removed form the processing and transmission.
 13. A device for carrying out the method according to claim 1 for control of the transmission and reproduction of coded digital signals between at least two electronic devices (receiving device and server) over a data transmission connection and its reproduction, characterized in that the receiving device comprises at least one user interface (6) configurable by external data, a device for accommodating a decoder (7) from an external source, and an output interface (8) appropriate for the digital signals, and wherein the data source (1) (server) comprises at least one control interface (9) for evaluation of the control commands, a mass storage (14) for signal files, a data selection system (15), an encoder (18) for compression of the data, and a stream server (19) for transmitting the coded digital signals to the user.
 14. The device according to claim 13 characterized that instead of the decoder (7) a suitable decoder already present in the receiving device is provided.
 15. The device according to claim 13 and 14 characterized in that the data source (server) is additionally expanded by at least one decoder (21) which is transmittable to the receiving device.
 16. The device according to claim 13 characterized in that the data source (server) is expanded additionally by at least one mixer (17) for mixing a plurality of digital signals.
 17. The device according to claim 13 and 14, characterized in that the data source (server) is expanded by at least a decoder (16) which enables coded generally compressed signals to be held in readiness in the mass memory (14).
 18. The device according to claim 17 characterized in that the coding of the signals held in readiness differs from the coding of the coding for transmission.
 19. The device according to claim 13 characterized in that the output interface (8) preferably is a D/A or a sound card for audio signals. 